Nawabshah in Pakistan just saw the highest recorded temperature on Earth for April

The city of Nawabshah in southern Pakistan recorded a temperature of 122.4 degrees Fahrenheit (50.2 Celsius) this past Monday. This is possibly the highest temperature ever measured on Earth in the month of April.

Most of the Indian Subcontinent under a “Heat dome” | Courtesy: EarthWindMap

On Monday, temperatures finally broke through the 122 degrees F (50 Celsius) barrier in the city of over 1.1 million, located around 200 kms from the Indian Ocean coast. Although yet to be confirmed by multiple sources, if proved right, this will be the highest ever recorded temperature not just in Pakistan, but anywhere on the planet.

First reported by Etienne Kapikian of Meteo France, he tweeted that it was the highest reliably recorded temperature in continental Asia not just in modern times, but in all of history.

Pakistan saw an extreme heat wave the same time last year as well. The city of Larkana to the north of Nawabshah touched the 50 degrees Celsius mark in April of 2017 (which was the standing record until now).

Local Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported that the heat was so “unbearable” that dozens of people passed out and almost brought Nawabshah to a standstill. This coming off the heels of a 45 degrees Celsius high in March, which is itself an all-time record for a Pakistani March.

What is a Heat Dome?

But this isn’t an isolated event. Parts of Eastern Europe, most of the Middle East and South Asia are all currently under what’s known as a “Heat dome“. Heat domes happen when a region experiences high pressure causing dry air to settle down. As it hits ground-level, the air gets compressed and lets out massive amounts of heat. This is what causes the huge spikes in temperature. However, this weather pattern gradually dissipates over time.

Heat waves sweeping across Europe, Middle East and South Asia | Courtesy: Windyty

Nawabshah’s 122.4 degrees Fahrenheit (50.2 degrees Celsius) peak places it right at the top with Iran & Spain’s record high temperatures in the summer of 2017.

While Nawabshah and the rest of South Asia are likely to cool down over the next few weeks, Heat domes during the Indian summers are only going to get worse over the coming years. Despite what President Donald Trump likes to believe, this event along with mounds of research shows that climate change is real, and it means business.

This is especially alarming for the Indian subcontinent, which already sees some of the hottest summers on the planet, where the heat wave and dust storms have already registered a death toll in double digits in India.